About an Earl

Mrs. Lloyd surprised me with this book; it was my first book of hers to read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was romance, mystery, and twin heroes. Such a recipe for a delightful read and I was not disappointed. Their are alot of small characters but they are sprinkled throughout the book so at no point did I become overwhelmed or not know who someone was. Julianna is a typical heroine that transforms into a women of heart. Not able to sit by and watch someone be trapped into a loveless marriage by her cousin; she sets out to warn the gentlemen. Oliver, Earl of Winchcombe, and Lord Scar to most of society has had a hard life and is just trying to take his rightful place in the House of Lords. Julianna and Oliver are tested on so many levels and the book weaves a long but intriguing road to their future. It seems to be fate has stepped in and altered their lives as they have been secretly pawns in the same game of chess. The story was well wrote and very interesting, it kept me entertained and left wanting more. This is the second book in the What Happens in the Ballroom and am excited for the third. Please note every book ends on a happy ending and can be read separately. Reading them all just deepens your connection to the characters and brings extra little background tidbits. I highly recommend this book.

About an Earl is the second book in author Diana Lloyd’s “What Happens in the Ballroom” series. This is the first book I’ve actually had the pleasure of reading from Ms. Lloyd and it won’t be the last! Although this is second in the series, I do believe it easily reads as a standalone. In saying that though, I do plan on going back and reading the first book in this series after enjoying this one so much! Oliver Chalford or “Lord Scar” as he’s known to the ton, is the Earl of Winchcombe. He was scarred as a young man and has hidden away on his estate for years. Coming to town to claim his seat with Parliament has him attending a ball where a young miss sets her sights on his twin brother. Only Oliver is the one who is caught kissing the girl’s cousin, Jewel Latham. Juliana “Jewel” Latham a Boston native is staying with her aunt and family in London. When she overhears a plot by her aunt and cousin to trap the Earl of Winchcombe into a compromising situation, she steps in to prevent it. She doesn’t plan on being the one caught kissing an Earl. What a great story! I really liked both Oliver and Jewel. With Jewel being from the colonies and Oliver’s scarred face, both are considered outsiders that don’t fit into London society. Oliver struggles with believing anyone could care for a man with his disfigurement, and Jewel struggles with a betrayal from her past. Together they struggle to trust each other and there are misunderstandings aplenty between them. I loved the banter between them and the obvious attraction from their first meeting. They were such a sweet couple who I really longed to see overcome the obstacles that kept them apart. Ms. Lloyd did a wonderful job with the writing and storyline. Both were excellent and flowed well. There were several secondary characters that added to the overall enjoyment of the story along with a mystery that connects Jewel and Oliver together. Being this was my first book from Diana Lloyd, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I can happily say I loved this story and would not hesitate to read from this author again!

What a fantastic historical romance! Set just before the American Revolutionary War, this story follows Juliana (Jewel) as she fights to gain her own independence after being shipped from her Boston home to live with relatives in London. One good turn leads to a forbidden romance, a multi-layered conspiracy, and more than a few true tests of friendship. Oliver and his twin brother suffered at the hands of their father, whose recent passing has made Oliver the new earl despite his desire to remain closed off from society due to his horrifying scars from childhood. He is instantly enamored with the whip smart yet unpredictable Jewel, and finds himself tangled up in her charms as they discover that her problems are surprisingly enmeshed with his. The writing is clever, witty, and instantly captivating. The characters are well developed, layered with humor and heartfelt emotions. Even the secondary characters are well thought out and delightful additions to the story. The HEA and years-later epilogue were terrific. This is truly a wonderful story, one that I know I'll be reading again and again. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.